Italian beers next on the craft beer scene

For a glimpse of where craft beer in American restaurants may be headed, scan the beer list of Alla Spina, the new Philadelphia dining spot that showcases distinctive, hard-to-find Italian craft beers and rustic Italian-style bar food.

The month-old gastropub is surprising patrons with Italian brews that show complex nuances of myrrh, juniper berries, citrus, ginger and absinthe. The fourth restaurant in Philadelphia for chef-owner Marc Vetri and his partners, Alla Spina means “from the tap” in Italian.

The unusual styles, ingredients and flavor profiles of Italian craft beers have been making a stir in the beer world for a few years now but are still relatively new to the United States, even in a market full of beer aficionados like Philly, beverage director Steve Wildy said.